Home Support Worker / Personal Care Attendant

High school diploma or high school equivalency (Transcript and/or diploma to be forwarded to the College); or

Mature students who do not meet the education prerequisites may be considered for admission on an individual basis provided the following conditions are met:

Applicants are at least 19 years of age at the time of application;

Applicants have been out of school for at least one year;

Applicants complete the standardized assessment instrument and obtain the result of high school equivalence on all subtests;

Applicants present a certified copy of grades for the highest educational level attained.

Administration Requirements:

Completion of Keyin College’s official application form;

Application fee of $50 (non-refundable). It must be noted that this is an additional cost for the processing of your application.

International applications are subject to a $250 application processing fee (non-refundable)

Additional Admission Requirements:

Certificate of Conduct

Applicants must be bondable

Applicants must provide a certificate signed by a qualified medical doctor indicating that they have met immunization requirements for the industry. These will include TB screening along with others required by the Department of Health and Community Services to work in the field. Please contact your Career Counselor for the most up-to-date list from the Department

CPR and First Aid are co-requisites of the program and must be obtained prior to the first day of fieldwork

All forms and documents listed must be received by the college prior to the first day of classes. If not received, students will not be able to attend classes/start program.

Keyin’s 30-week Personal Care Attendant/Home Support Worker program follows the provincial curriculum standards for training of Home Support Workers in Community Settings & Personal Care Attendants in Nursing Home Settings.

The purpose of these NEW provincial standards is to ensure that support workers are prepared to deliver appropriate care, assistance and support services in either setting. Through the use of classroom, laboratory and supervised field placements in the client’s home and nursing homes, the program will educate and equip graduates with the necessary skills to deliver appropriate, timely, and respectful client-focused care to the elderly, persons with disabilities or those recovering from illnesses or injuries and their families. In community settings, support workers will provide personal care, light housekeeping, meal assistance and other support services as determined by the employing agency.

The Department of Health and Community Services recently launched a PCA Bursary Program to provide financial assistance to students enrolled in this 30-week program in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and who accept employment in difficult-to-fill positions within a Regional Health Authority (RHA) in NL, upon successful completion of the program. The Bursary Program provides up to a $5,000 bursary to selected students, which helps cover the education costs!

For more information on this bursary, please contact the Department of Health and Community Services in the area you would like to work. Students are required to provide proof of enrollment in the PCA program when submitting their Application Formto the RHA. Students must meet all conditions outlined by the RHA before being considered for a bursary including, but not limited to, criminal records check, proof of good academic standing in the program, references and an interview process. The deadline for applications is three (3) months prior to program completion.

Graduates will be diverse in their potential employment opportunities and will be qualified to work as a Personal Care Attendant or Home Support Worker in various settings such as a nursing home, community sectors, and agencies specializing in home care or for an individual client.

An individual considering a career as a Personal Care Attendant requires characteristics that include being caring, enjoy working with others, having a good work ethic, positive attitude toward the employer, their clients and themselves. This type of worker may work different shifts depending upon the clients needs. This line of work can be a very rewarding career for many people.